As a seat apparatus for a vehicle, of which a seat cushion and a seatback are tilted to a vehicle floor and retracted, JP2006-123905A (hereinafter, referred to as reference 1) discloses a seat apparatus of which a seatback and a seat cushion are operated by a link mechanism. The link mechanism includes a first connecting rod and a guide mechanism having a guide member. The first connecting rod is securely hinged to a vehicle floor and to the seatback. The guide member is secured to the vehicle floor and guides a bottom portion of the seat cushion. A rear portion of the seat cushion is assembled relatively pivotable to the bottom portion of the seatback. Further, the link mechanism includes a connection piece which is movably assembled relative to the vehicle floor and is hinged to a front portion of the seat cushion. The link mechanism is moved in association with the seatback and the seat cushion, so that the seatback and the seat cushion can be retracted. Therefore, when a reclining angle of the seatback is adjusted, a position of the seat cushion is also changed and furthermore, a seating posture of an operator (occupant) may be changed in accordance with a change of the position of the seat cushion.
However, according to the above described retractable seat apparatus for a vehicle, the seatback and the seat cushion are connected with each other via the link mechanism. Therefore, the seatback and the seat cushion may interfere with one another at the position where they are connected, and a smooth retraction of the seatback and the seat cushion may be interrupted. Further, the seat cushion and the seatback are restrained by the link mechanism. Therefore, a moving distance of the seatback and the seat cushion may be also restrained.
In view of the above described circumstances, a seat apparatus, of which a seat cushion and a seatback are not connected with each other by a link mechanism and are retracted to a retracted position by moving the same independently from each other, may be proposed. In such a case, however, the seat cushion and the seatback may interfere with each other in respective movement paths, and therefore a movement of each member may be interrupted. Accordingly, there may be a requirement for adjusting timing for moving the seat cushion and the seatback so that those components may not interfere with one another while being moved.
A need thus exists for a seat apparatus for a vehicle which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.